Pivoted tubing well connection



June 26, 1962 Filed April 28, 1959 FIG. 2

|8\ FIG I INVENTORS:

R.E. ASHE J. A. HAEBER N.B. NEWMAN FIG 4 L.G. OTTEMAN BY: Q

l6 T- 35 fi "5 THEIR AGENT Unite States 3,941,026 PEVOTED 'iUhiNG WELLEQNNEETHON Robert E. Ashe, John A. Haeber, Niehoias E. Newman, and LloydG. Otteman, all of Houston, Tex., assignors to Shell Qii (Iompany, acorporation of Delaware Fiied Apr. 25, 1959, Ser. No. 19,439 Claims.(Cl. 285137) This invention relates to a means for connecting pipe ortubing and pertains more particularly to a flexible pipe joint by whichtemporarily disconnected pipe sections may be realigned and coupledtogether from a remote location.

The present pipe connection has particular application in oil wellinstallations at oflshore locations where the wellhead may be coveredwith substantial depths of water. Thus, after completing an offshorewell with the wellhead positioned on the ocean floor, as described inco-pending application Serial No. 830,5 3 8, filed July 30, 1959,entitled Underwater Well Completion Method, it is preferred that astring of pipe or casing remain connected to the wellhead and extendthereabove to a point above the surface of the water so as to facilitatere-entry to the well with tools, instruments, or other devices duringwork-over, testing, or logging operations. However, when a pipe orcasing extends to a point above the surface of the water, it becomes ahazard to navigation and defeats the purpose of originally completingthe well on the ocean floor.

After a well has been completed with the wellhead as sembly on the oceanfloor, the well can only be re-entered with tools with considerabledifficulty if the pipe or casing extending from the wellhead to a pointabove the surface of the water is disconnected. In general, it isdifficult to try and stab a pipe or casing onto the top of an underwaterwellhead in water ranging from 501500 feet deep.

It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provideapparatus by which a well pipe or casing extending from an underwaterwellhead to a point above the surface of the water may be laid down onthe ocean floor when not in use.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a pipe joint whichpermits a pipe to be uncoupled, with one section of the pipe moved withrelation to the other at a sharp angle without being entirelydisconnected therefrom,

"while at the same time being adapted to realign the two sections ofpipe and recouple them.

A further object of the present invention is to provide apparatuswhereby sections of a multiple number of parallel pipes may beuncoupled, altered in direction, realigned and subsequently recoupled intheir original manner, all operations being carried out by an operatorsituated at a remote location.

These and other objects of this invention will be understood from thefollowing description taken with reference to the drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a view taken in longitudinal cross-section of the presentflexible pipe connection in its retracted telescopic position and innertubing strings seated in fluid flow connection therewith;

FIGURE 2 is a view taken in longitudinal cross-section of the pipeconnection of the present invention in its extended telescopic positionwith the tubing strings contained therein being withdrawn from theirseating positions;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 33 of FIGURE 2;and,

FIGURE 4 is a view taken along the line 4-4 of FIGURE 1.

Referring to FIGURE 1 of the drawing, the apparatus of the presentinvention comprises a cylindrical element or housing 11 having one ormore fluid flow conduits 12 and 13 therethrough. in the event that thehousing has two conduits 12 and 13, as shown, a pair of pipes or tubes14 and 15, respectively, would be connected to the outlets of the flowconduits 12 and 13. If desired, the tubes 14 and 15 may be surrounded bya large diameter protective pipe or casing 16 which is secured to thehousing 11 in any suitable manner, as by welding. The tubes 14 and 15are preferably connected to the housing 11 by screw threads, as shown.

Mounted for rotational and axial movement on the top of the housing 11is a cylindrical cap 17, the top of which is connected, as by welding,to a protective pipe or casing 18 which surrounds one or more flow tubes21 and 22. As illustrated, the lower ends of flow tubes 21 and 22 areadapted to be seated in the flow conduits 12 and 13, within the housing11. Suitable packing means, such as rings or packing 23 and 24 areprovided for closing the small space between the outer walls of the flowtubes 21 and 22 and the innerwalls of the flow conduits 12 and 13. Forease in installation, these packing rings are preferably mounted on theoutside wall of the flow tubes 21 and 22. If desired, seats 25 and 26may be formed within the fluid flow conduits 12 and 13 thereby allowingthe lower ends of the flow tubes 21 and 22 to be seated within thehousing 11 when no locking devices are employed.

The lower ends of the flow tubes 21 and 22 are preferably locked withinthe housing 11 in a quickly detachable manner. While screw threads couldbe used for this purpose, each tube 21 and 22 is preferably providedwith one or more pins or keys 27 and 28 which are adapted to move withinJ-slots or L-shaped keyways 31 and 32. The L-shaped keyways are cut inthe wall of the housing 11 forming the wall of the fluid flow conduit 12and 13. The keyways 31 and 32 extend down from the top of the housing 11with the bottom of the L-shaped groove extending circumferentially ashort distance, thus forming the locking portion of the groove. Ifdesired, the entrance to the fluid flow conduits 12 and 13 at the top ofthe housing 11 may be bevelled or flared as at 33 and 34 outwardly tofacilitate inserting the ends of the tubes 21 and 22 into the housing11.

Referring to FIGURE 2, it will be seen that the cap 17 is provided witha pair of downwardly extending arms 35 and 36. Formed or cut into thecylindrical cap 17, through the wall thereof are a pair of angulargrooves or modified J-slots 37 and 38 with one portion of the groovesextending substantially the length of the downwardly extending arms 35and 36. The grooves 37 and 38 may be cut in the inner surface of the cap17 or may be cut entirely therethrough to form slots, as illustrated.The vertical sections of the modified J-slots 37 and 38 permit raisingof the cap 17 above the housing 11 to the position shown in FIGURE 2,while the horizontal portion of the slots 37 and 38 permit rotation ofthe cylindrical cap 17 with respect to the housing 11 so as to lock thecap 17 and housing 11 together, thus preventing axial displacement.

Extending from the outer wall of the housing 11 and fixedly securedthereto are a pair of pivot pins 46 and 41 which extend into or throughthe modified J-slots 37 and 38 in the cylindrical cap 17, and are of adiameter so that they may readily move within the slots.

The flexible pipe joint of the present invention is shown in FIGURE 1with the tubes 14 and 15 in open communication with flow tubes 21 and 22which in turn are locked in a fluidtight manner within the flow conduits12 and 13 within the housing 11. At the same time the protectivesections of casings 16 and 18 are fixedly locked coaxially to each otherby the cap 17 which fits down around the housing 11. The flow tubes 21and 22 are in a locked position as they have been both rotated clockwisea part of a turn so that the pins or keys 27 and 28 are in thehorizontal portion of the L-shaped keysways 31 and 32. At the same timethe cap 17 is locked on the housing 11, as shown in FIGURE 4, since thecap 17 has been rotated counter-clockwise a part of a turn so that thepin 41 has moved along the horizontal portion of the modified J-slot andnow seats in the locking notch 42 at the end of groove 37, since thecasing 18 is held in tension.

When it is desired to alter the direction of flow tubes 21 and 22,together with casing 18, so that they lie at, say a 90-degree angle ormore to tubes 14 and and their surrounding casing 16, (FIGURE 1), thecasing 18 (FIGURE 4) is lowered slightly to get the pin 48 out of thelocking notch 42, after which the easing 18 together with the cap 17fixedly secured thereto is rotated in a clockwise manner to the end ofthe horizontal portion of the groove 37. At this time, or prior to theunlocking of the cap 17 with regard to the housing 11, the tubings 21and 22 are unlocked from the housing 11 and withdrawn from the flowconduits 12 and 13 formed therein. Unlocking of the tubings 21 and 22within the housing 11 is accomplished by rotating tubings 21 and 22slightly in a counter-clockwise direction so that the pins 27 and 28traverse the horizontal sections of the J-slots or angular grooves 37and 38, after which both tubes 21 and 22 may be raised vertically withthe pins 27 and 28 moving up the vertical sections of slots 31 and 32until the tubings 21 andn 22 are in a position shown in FIGURE 2.

With the ends of tubings 21 and 22 now raised out of housing 1 1, thecasing 18 together with the cap 17 which has been rotated until pin 40is at the top of groove 37, are now lifted vertically until pins 40 and41 are stopped at the bottom of grooves 37 and 38, in a position asshown in FIGURE 2. of the drawing. At this time the tubings 21 and 22,casing 18 and cap 17 may be moved or pivoted sideways above pivot pins40 and 41 in a plane parallel to the axis of the housing 1-1 and/or itsattached casing 16, and normal to the line between the two pivot pins 40and 41. The-arc through which the casing 18 and tubes 21 and 22 can bemoved relative to the vertical housing 11 depends upon the length of thegrooves 37 and 38 within the downwardly extending arms and 36 withrespect to the radius of the housing '11, assuming that the arms 35 and36 are considered to be all of that portion of the cap 17 that extendsdownwardly past the bottom of the cap 17. For purposes of definition,the bottom of the cap will be considered as the lowest point at whichthe cap is a complete cylinder. Thus, while the cap '17 is shown inFIGURE 4 as having a horizontal lower edge with arm 35 extendingdownwardly therefrom, it is realized that the lower edge of the cap 17may slope upwardly away from the arms on one or both sides thereof thuspermitting the casing 18 to be tilted at a greater angle to casing 1 6when the pin 40 is in the other end of the slot. From this it may beseen that with the length of the groove 37 in the arm 35 equal to thediameter of the housing 11 plus half the thickness of the pin 40, thecasing 18 could be tilted at an angle of only about 90 degrees to thecasing 16. However, by lengthening the grooved arm 35 to about twice thediameter of the housing 1 1 then casing 18 could be moved down to forman angle of considerably more than 90 degrees with the casing 16.

When it is desired to reconnect the tubings 21 and 22 in the housing 11,the casing 18 and the tubings 21 and 22 would be tilted back until itwas aligned axially with casing 16 at which time it could be lowered sothat pins 40 and 41 moved up slots 37 and 38 to the top thereof. Thenthe casing 18 and cap 17 would be rotated in a counter-clockwisedirection until the pin 40 slipped into the locking notch 42, in theposition shown in FIGURE 4. Tubings 21 and 22 would then again bereinserted into the flow conduits 12 and 13 within the housing 11 by aprocedure that was the reverse from that by which they were withdrawn.While the cap 17 has been shown in the drawing as being mounted abovethe housing 11 it is realized that the position of these two elementscould be reversed to form a joint that would still possess the uniquefeatures of the present invention. Additionally, while the presentinvention has been illustrated with regard to employing two tubings 21and 22, it is realized that the same flexible joint may be employedwhile using one or any number of tubings within the protective casings16 and 18.

While the present invention has been described with regard to the pins40 and 4-1 being secured to the housing 11 while the slots or grooves 37and 38 are formed in the cap 17 it is realized that the position ofthese elements may be reversed with the pins being secured so as toextend inwardly from the bottoms of the downwardly extending arms whilethe cooperating slots are formed in the outer surface of the housing 11.

We claim as our invention:

1. A flexible pipe joint comprising a housing having fluid passage meansextending longitudinally therethrough, pipe means fixedly secured to oneend of said housing and in fluid communication with said fluid passagemeans, a cap surrounding the upper part of said housing and intelescoping sliding engagement therewith, movable pipe means adapted tobe positioned lon gitudinally within said housing and extending throughsaid cap, the end of said movable pipe means being adapted to engage thefluid passage means of said housing, seal means closing the space aroundsaid movable pipe means when said movable pipe means are within saidhousing, a pair of longitudinally extending arms carried by said cap andextending therefrom along opposite sides of said housing, andlongitudinally extensible and pivotally aligning means carried incooperative engagement between said housing and said cap including thearms thereof.

2. A flexible pipe joint comprising a housing having fluid passage meansextending longitudinally therethrough, pipe means fixedly secured to oneend of said housing and in fluid communication with said fluid passagemeans, a cap surrounding the upper part of said housing and intelescoping sliding engagement therewith, movable pipe means adapted tobe positioned longitudinally within said housing and extending throughsaid cap, the end of said movable pipe means being adapted to engage thefluid passage means of said housing, seal means closing the space aroundsaid movable pipe means when said movable pipe means are within saidhousing, a pair of longitudinally extending arms carried by said cap andextending therefrom along opposite sides of said housing, each of saidarms having a longitudinal slot therein extending substantially thelength of said arm and continuing into said cap, and pin means extendingfrom said housing in the upper part thereof and extending through saidslots.

3. A flexible pipe joint comprising a housing having fluid passage meansextending longitudinally therethrough, pipe means fixedly secured to oneend of said housing and in fluid communication with said fluid passagemeans, a cap surrounding the upper part of said housing and intelescoping sliding engagement therewith, movable pipe means adapted tobe positioned longitudinally within said housing and extending throughsaid cap, the end of said movable pipe means being adapted to enter thefluid passage means of said housing, releasable locking means inengagement between said movable pipe means and said housing, seal meansclosing in a fluidtight manner the space around said movable pipe meanswhen said movable pipe means are within said housing, a pair oflongitudinally extending arms carried by said cap and extendingtherefrom along opposite sides of said housing, each of said arms havinga longitudinal slot therein extending substantially the length of saidarm and continuing into said cap, and pin means extending from saidhousing in the upper part thereof and extending through said slots.

4. A flexible pipe joint comprising a cylindrical housing having aplurality of fluid passage means extending longitudinally therethrough,a plurality of pipe means fixedly secured to one end of said housing andin fluid communication with said fluid passage means, a cylindrical capsurrounding the upper part of said housing and in telescoping slidingengagement therewith, a plurality of movable pipe means adapted to bepositioned longitudinally Within said housing and extending through saidcap, the end of said movable pipe means being adapted to enter the fluidpassage means of said housing, releasable locking means in engagementbetween said movable pipe means and said housing, seal means closing ina fluidtight manner the space around said movable .pipe means when saidmovable pipe means are within said housing, a pair of longitudinallyextending arms carried by said cap and extending therefrom alongopposite sides of said housing, each of said arms having a longitudinalslot therein extending substantially the length of said arm andcontinuing into said cap, releasable locking means formed at the end ofsaid slots in said cap for locking said cap on said housing, and pinmeans extending from said housing in the upper part thereof andextending through said slots.

5. A flexible pipe joint comprising a cylindrical housing having aplurality of fluid passage means extending longitudinally therethrough,a plurality of pipe means fixedly secured to one end of said housing andin fluid communication with said fluid passage means, a cylindrical capsurrounding the upper part of said housing and in telescoping slidingengagement therewith, a plurality of movable pipe means adapted to bepositioned longitudinally within said cap, the end of said pipe meansbeing of a diameter adapted to enter the fluid passage means of saidhousing, a large-diameter conduit surrounding said movable pipe meansand having one end fixedly secured to the top of said cap, releasablelocking means in engagement between said movable pipe means and saidhousing, seal means closing in a fluidtight manner the space around saidmovable pipe means when said movable pipe means are within said housing,a pair of longitudinally extending arms carried by said cap andextending therefrom along opposite sides of said housing, each of saidarms having a longitudinal slot therein extending substantially thelength of said arm and continuing into said cap, releasable lockingmeans formed at the end of said slots in said cap for locking said capon said housing, and pin means extending from said housing in the upperpart thereof and extending through said slots.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,059,884 Link Apr. 212, 1913 1,772,096 Diamond Aug. 5, 1930 2,100,058McGrady Nov. 23, 937 2,158,406 Collett et a1. May 16, 1939 2,676,787Johnson Apr. 27, 1954 2,735,703 Goodman Feb, 21, 1956 2,788,856 OrtloffApr. 16, 1957

